It is very simple. If he had known sooner of the danger this woman was in, do you think that he would have waited until the last moment, and have chosen this very evening--this supreme moment--to say good-bye to this poor, dying woman, and to reveal to you the existence of his illegitimate son? No, men hide these unfortunate children when and how they please. You know that as well as I, Monsieur. To run the risk of throwing us all into such a state of emotion and threatening his own future, as he has done, it would seem that Jean must be a madman, and he is by no means that. Had he known sooner of this situation, do you think that he would not have confided in me, and that I would have been so stupid--yes, I--as not to avert this disaster? Why, I tell you it is as clear as day. MME. DE RONCHARD [_agitated, walks to and fro rapidly_ L.] Clear as the day--clear as the day! MARTINEL Yes, indeed. If we had not received this piece of news as a bomb which destroys the power of reflection, if we could have taken time to reason the thing out, to make plans, we could have hidden everything from you, and the devil would have been in it before you would have known anything! Our fault has been that of being too sincere and too loyal. Yet, I do not regret it; it is always better to act openly in life. MME. DE RONCHARD Permit me, Monsieur-- PETITPRÉ Silence, Clarisse. [_To_ Martinel.] Be it so, Monsieur. There is no question of your honor or of your loyalty, which have been absolutely patent in this unfortunate affair. I willingly admit that your nephew knew nothing of the situation, but how about the child? What is there to prove that it is Jean's? MARTINEL Jean alone can prove or disprove that. He believes it, and you know that it is not to his interest to believe it. There is nothing very joyful about such a complication--a poor, little foundling thrusting himself upon one like a thunderbolt, without warning, and upon the very evening of one's marriage. But Jean believes that the child is his, and I--and all of us--must we not accept it as he has accepted it, as the child's father has accepted it? Come, now. [_A short silence._] You ask me to prove to you that this child belongs to Jean? MME. DE RONCHARD AND PETITPRÉ [_together_] Yes! MARTINEL Then first prove to me that it is not Jean's child. MME. DE RONCHARD You ask an impossibility. MARTINEL And so do you. The principal judge in the matter, look you, is my nephew himself. We others can do nothing but accept his decision. MME. DE RONCHARD But meanwhile-- PETITPRÉ Silence, Clarisse. Monsieur Martinel is right. MME. DE RONCHARD [_ironically_] Say that again. MARTINEL There can be no better reason, Madame. [_To_ Petitpré.] I was quite sure that you would understand me, Monsieur, for you are a man of sense. MME. DE RONCHARD And what am I, then? MARTINEL You are a woman of the world, Madame. MME. DE RONCHARD